Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to portable power generation and supply of a pressurized fluid, and in particular, to the portable combination of an electrical generator and a pump, with a single engine powering both the generator and the pump.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Utilities, municipalities, contractors, plant maintenance personnel, and field service workers often require an electrical power source that is compact and reliable. Portable electrical power generators are well-known and are frequently used for such purposes.
Additionally, users of such portable electrical power generators also often require a source of pressurized fluid, such as, for example, a source of compressed air, pressurized hydraulic fluid, and/or pressurized water for spraying or high-pressure blasting. Prior art solutions for such problems have provided stand-alone electrical power generators that serve not only as a general-purpose source of electricity, but also as a source of electricity to power a compressor or pump so that the pressurized fluid can be provided. Other solutions provide a stand-alone electrical power generator and also a stand-alone compressor or pump powered, for example, by a gasoline engine. Still other prior art solutions provide an electrical power generator and compressor on a common power shaft with a driving motor, and such a solution is inefficient and wasteful of power because the pump is constantly driven, even when no additional pressure is required. These prior art solutions are inefficient, costly, and bulky for the user to transport to the site of use.
It is therefore desirable to have a compact, modular and integrated generator unit with pump unit, both driven from a single portable power source. It is further desirable to have a storage tank for holding the fluid that is pressurized by the pump unit, and the pump unit should only operate when the pressure in the storage tank is below a predetermined desired pressure. It is still further desirable to provide a cooling fan for cooling the pump unit, with the cooling fan only being engaged when the pump unit is in operation.
A preliminary patentability search in Class 290, subclasses 1A and 1R, and in Class 417, subclass 364, produced the following patents, some of which may be relevant to the present invention: Childress et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,133 (issued Feb. 24, 1970); Mitchell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,219 (issued May 26, 1970); Ishihara, U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,951 (issued Nov. 13, 1979); Lamoreaux, U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,281 (issued Oct. 6, 1981); Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,824 (issued Feb. 11, 1992); Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,644 (issued Aug. 30, 1994); and Rowe, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,265 (issued Aug. 8, 2000).
Additionally, the inventor is aware of the following references, some of which may be relevant to the present invention: Colella, U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,809 (issued Apr. 18, 2000); Kemper, U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,964 (issued Jul. 19, 1983); Ban, U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,688 (issued Jun. 4, 1985); Butlin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,522 (issued Nov. 20, 1990); Lincoln Electric Co., Shield-Arc(copyright) SAE-400 WELD""N AIR (December 1997); Miller Electric Mfg. Co., Miller Air Pakxe2x80x94Engine Driven Welding Generator (November 1998); Megajet Workstations, Megajet 4 in 1 Workstation (2000); and data sheets and documentation from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company describing the Driven Sprocket (W-34S-SH), Driver Sprocket (W-40S-BTS) and xe2x80x9cPositive Drivexe2x80x9d Belt (W-1280) that are used in implementing the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
None of these references, either singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the present invention.
The present invention is a portable power unit with an internal combustion engine, having a constantly-powered electrical generator and an intermittently-powered pump means that is energized as required to maintain a source of pressure in a tank. An electromagnetic clutch is energized by a pressure switch on the tank, and a cooling fan for the pump may also be energized by the pressure switch on the tank.
It is an object of the present invention to provide compact, modular and integrated generator unit with pump unit, both driven from a single portable power source such as an internal combustion engine. It is further desirable to have a storage tank for holding the fluid that is pressurized by the pump unit, and the pump unit should only operate when the pressure in the storage tank is below a predetermined desired pressure.